Sheaffer Lifetime
Sheaffer Flat Top
The Sheaffer Flat Tops introduced in 1912 were made from hard rubber but it wasn’t until 1924 that the first plastic ones were produced. If my research is correct, this material was Radite, a partially nitrated celluloid.
Sheaffer Flat Top
Jade green was one of the more popular colors and when new were quite stunning. Barrels often discolored and it it thought that vapors given off from the rubber sacs may have caused this. The clip on this pen, the Junior, was used between 1922 and 1927 when the hump clip was introduced.
On this pen the barrel imprints have hyphens rather that periods which again date it to before 1927 and as the white dot was introduced in 1923 it seems that this pen was manufactured between 1923 and 1927. Although the feed looks to be original, I suspect the nib is of a later date.
Sheaffer s Flat Top
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1 comment
Neville Harrison
April 7, 2013 at 7:20 pm (UTC 11)
Dear Mary,
Thank you for your information regarding the Sheaffer Flat Top.
I bought a pen very similar to this model some ten years ago in a French flea-market. It was unmarked apart
from having the name “UNIVER”on its humped clip. It’s jade green and really like new. It measures some 13.5cm. The nib is stamped “Warranted 14k USA”. No sign of staining. I’m embarrassed to say how little
money I paid for it!
I read recently that UNIVER was a sub- division of Sheaffer, and that my particular pen is rare, and therefore,
may be quite valuable. I’ve seen one for sale in USA which has several undesirable faults e.g. badly stained, not much iridium on nib, no plating on clip………..for and for $385 !!
I’d welcome your comments.
Have a nice day,
Nev Harrison, France.
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